Darkness. Warm, cozy, darkness. That was where I found myself when I awoke. My head was foggy. It was similar to the feeling I got when I had one hard cider too many. I was nestled up against a warm, soft mare. Although I didn’t remember Crystal having a wing. It certainly felt like I was wedged between a body and a wing.
I yawned and stretched out. Where was I? This didn’t feel like home, but it was familiar. Where had I been last? A party. That explained the cider feeling. Parties often led to that sort of thing. Especially housewarming parties. That was it! This didn’t feel like home because it was our new house.
That still didn’t explain the wing, though. I squirmed a bit and buried my muzzle into the mare’s side. My nose wiggled. She didn’t smell like Crystal, either. In fact, she smelled a lot like—
“Silent Knight, are you awake?” Princess Luna whispered.
“Yes,” I replied, more confused than ever. “Where are we?”
The princess shifted slightly in the darkness. Her horn burst into a pale light that seemed blinding at first. Another cider side effect. It took a moment before my eyes adjusted and I could see her face. Her expression was off. “In the palace, of course,” her voice was full of concern.
“Why are we in the palace?”
Her forehoof came to rest on my head. “Are you well? I realize you had some drinks again last night, but not enough for this. Are you still blocking out what happened?”
What happened? What did that mean? I barely remembered anything from the night before. A thrown cupcake, a small pony face off, and… a knock at the door? “What do you mean, blocking out?”
Princess Luna looped her foreleg around my form and pulled me in tighter. “I’ll send for a doctor and Dream Pop. I have humored you long enough.”
I set my forelegs against the crazed alicorn and pushed back a bit. “Princess, what are you talking about?”
“Silent Knight, I know this is hard for you. We were foolish to agree to your insistence that you take on this assignment, but Shining Armor and I thought you’d be best suited. Now, if you intend to carry out your duty, you need to be well. If not… well, perhaps it isn’t too late.”
What assignment? What had I insisted on? My heart started to pound. What had happened? “I don’t understand. Luna, what are you saying?”
The alicorn took a deep breath and clung to me as if she’d never let go. “We have allowed the drinking and this fantasy for the last few days out of respect for you. I had hoped you’d not make me say these words, but I see no choice.
“What do you last remember, presuming you do indeed have some memory loss? Tell me so I may start there.”
“I remember last night!” I said, feeling the desperation creeping into my own voice. “We were all at the housewarming party. It was fun. Everypony was having fun.”
“And then?” She asked.
“And then I woke up here!”
The alicorn stroked the back of my mane. “Nay, Silent Knight. That was three days ago. Everypony was having fun until the messenger from Central Command arrived. Do you not remember that?”
No? Yes? Was there a knock at the door? Yes, that seemed right, but there was still nothing after that. “And?”
Princess Luna shifted. “And that messenger was there to warn the House Guards. Lightning Hammer had escaped his prison and killed over twenty guards in doing so. His escape through Canterlot led to the deaths of nearly that many civilians, too.”
My apologies for interrupting, sir, but there is been an incident. We must speak with Captain Day.
Vague flashes of a pony in armor entered my mind. Then ponies moving to action. “I… What? That isn’t right, is it?” We had scrambled. I remembered that, too. Rather suddenly, but it was a washed-out memory. A notion, even.
“It is not right, but it is correct. He managed to escape Alicorn Spire altogether in the end despite your and Shining Armor’s efforts…” Her voice trailed and I felt a tear hit my muzzle as she leaned into me.
“You’re not telling me something,” I whispered.
“How can I! How can I say these words?”
Fear. It hit me hard. She’d started crying after explaining the carnage. Losing so many ponies was atrocious, but there was more. Something closer to home. I could sort of recall it now. An argument? “Luna, please?”
Go? You’re going to go?!
“Silent… I’m so sorry. Please… how can you ask me to do this?” Her grip on me tightened. “In the heat of the moment, while you and the other guards were planning to go after Lightning Hammer… she couldn’t handle it. You chasing after such a killer.”
She? She who? Crystal? Why wasn’t I at home with my wife? What was going on? My head spun. “Where’s Crystal? Luna, where is she?” I demanded.
The alicorn’s grip crushed me and I felt more tears fall. “She left you. It was too much Silent… the train, Alastair, the war… Crystal just couldn’t do it again.”
Left me! “What!” I gasped, pushing against her, trying to get free. “Don’t be crazy! How dare you even suggest that. Let me go. Let me go now! I’m going home.”
Princess Luna did as I asked. I frantically scrambled to my hooves and started stumbling through the dark room, bumping into furniture and knocking things over as I tried to get out. Then I couldn’t move anymore. She’d caught me in her magic. “Silent, wait! What are you going to say? What are you going to do! You can’t just crash in on her. She is deeply hurt.”
I thrashed about in her magical grasp. “I’m going to tell her I love her and that I’m sorry! We’re going to be in love!”
“What about Lightning Hammer?” the princess asked.
I stopped for a moment, filled with confusion. “What about him?”
“You volunteered to lead the team to find and secure him. You served with him longest and know him better than anypony else. Silent, we can’t let him roam free. He’s far too dangerous. So many lives have been lost and so many other ponies are now at risk.”
My jaw went slack. “What? Who cares! I need to get to Crystal.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll… I’ll find somepony else. Just… Silent, she asked you not to come. I don’t want you going alone,” the princess said hurriedly before rising to her hooves and wiping her eyes.
Without another word, she brightened her horn, illuminating her bedroom. While I was still trapped in her magic, she levitated me to the door and opened it. Looking out to the house guards just beyond, she said, “Inform Captain Day that the major is awake.”
“Yes, Princess,” one of them said before rushing off.
I squirmed more in the magical grasp, trying to make sense of what was happening. My head was spinning. The memory was vague, but I did remember fighting with Crystal before we stormed out into the night. She’d been furious and heartbroken all at once.
“I don’t need a chaperon. Please, let me go. I have to get home to my wife.”
The princess shook her head, her face pained. “You’ve been drunk for three days. I’m not letting you go alone. Sunny is your friend and she has… it. You’ll need it if you want to win Crystal back.”
“Stop being cryptic!” I shouted. That resulted in a nervous jostling of a guard outside.
Miley Hooves poked her head nervously around the edge of the doorway. “Is everything alright, Princess?”
“Yes, Sergeant, eyes forwards,” the princess ordered.
The little mare squeaked and did so.
“Her ring, Silent. What else would it be! She took it off and gave it back. You wouldn’t take it, so she gave it to Sunny before you two left with Shining Armor.”
That wasn’t true! It was a lie. Crystal would never… ever…
I can’t do this again! I can’t, Silent! He’s a killer! Midnight Snow died to save Princess Luna. If you are going after him, you have to do it knowing I won’t be waiting for you.
I shivered as if a chill had hit my heart directly. Had she said that? I could hear it but I couldn’t picture her face.
Princess Luna levitated me back to her and wrapped her forelegs around me. Her embrace was like a vice. While she may have meant to be comforting, it was all the more painful. “I’m so sorry that this is happening. I wish it could be any other way.”
“It will be fine. We’ll talk. It will be fine. We will be fine,” I said as I sorted through the disjointed memories of the party.
We can talk about this when I get home. These ponies need me right now.
What a stupid thing to say to an upset mare. Why would I say that?
Just go, Silent. You were always going to, anyway.
I winced. The princess felt it and loosened her grasp slightly. “Sorry,” she whispered.
“Me, too…”
The clearing of a throat caught our attention. Sunny approached us slowly, concern on her face. “He’s finally sober?”
“Yes,” the princess said before I could open my mouth. “And demanding to go speak to Crystal.”
Sunny sucked in a breath. “We suspected he would.” Her attention shifted to me. “I’m not sure that is such a great idea right now, Silent. She was really upset.”
“I don’t care, I’ll apologize. I’ll tell her I won’t leave again. I need to go home. Princess Luna won’t let me go unless you go. She says you have the ring. You can’t have her ring. She’d never give it up.”
The mare reached back into her saddlebag and pulled it out. My stomach dropped and I felt a bit ill. It was true. Sunny had Crystal’s ring. She’d never taken that ring off in anger. She’d never give it up.
“Please let me go, I need to go home,” I said to the princess.
Sunny held up a hoof. “That’s fine, but not alone. You just sobered up after a three-day bender. You’re upset, you’re sad, you’re not yourself. You can’t just go storming in there.”
I squirmed in Princess Luna’s grasp. She didn’t let go. “I am just going to talk to her.”
“And you’ll let me go with you?” Sunny asked.
“Yes! Let go, please!”
“Swear it,” Princess Luna said.
“I swear Sunny can come with me! Please let me go, now!”
The princess did so and I started trotting towards the door. She called after me but I didn’t hear whatever it was she said. How could I? I had to get home. I had to make Crystal understand. I had to swear to her that I’d be good.
No more running off after bad ponies in the night. I’d do whatever she wanted. Quit the Guard? Fine. Live at home? Fine. Make her copies? Fine.
Sunny was at my side, hurrying with me. “What’s the plan?” she asked.
“She’ll understand,” I said. She would, right?
“Okay… not your best plan.”
When we left the palace and got out into the courtyard, I didn’t hesitate for a moment. I leapt into the sky and started flying as fast as I could.
“Silent Knight! You stop! You swore!” Sunny shouted after me before starting to gallop in the direction of my house. It was mere seconds before her voice was lost in the wind.
There was no time for oaths when it came to the loss of the love of your life. If they wanted somepony to stay with me, they should have sent a pegasus. It was a short flight for me. Why would I gallop through all of those streets? Time was of the essence.
When I arrived, our new home looked dark. All of the curtains were drawn and there was no evidence of light within. In a panic, I almost crashed into the door as I landed. My hoof found the handle. Locked. I jiggled it a few times. Locked. Why was it locked? Why would she lock the door?
“Crystal! Crystal, it’s me, please open the door!” I shouted, knocking with a hoof.
The only reply was maddening silence. I perked my ear and set it against the solid wood of the door. Perhaps I could hear a peep or rustle inside. In reality, all I could hear was the throbbing of my heart.
“Crystal, please!” I shouted.
Still there was nothing. Nothing at all. She had to be home. It was dark out. What time was it? Morning? Night? Who cared. I took a few steps back, looking around the front of the house.
Out of the corner of my eye I caught the subtle motion of one of the curtains. Somepony had peeked out. She was home. I stepped forwards and banged on the door with my hoof. “I know you’re home. Please, let me in. I need to talk to you. I need to explain.”
“Go away, Silent, she doesn’t want to talk to you,” came Velvet’s voice from the other side of the door.
Velvet couldn’t be trusted. What had she said to me at the party? ‘I’m starting to forgive you for hurting Crystal, but I know you are going to screw up again.’ “Velvet, open this door! If she doesn’t want to talk to me, she can tell me herself,” I replied, anger flaring into my voice.
The sound of galloping hooves approaching momentarily caught my attention. I turned to see Sunny moving as fast as possible. She leapt over the small fence and skidded to a halt beside me. Her chest was heaving as she tried to catch her breath. “Together,” she panted. “Said, together.”
I banged my hoof on the door again. “Velvet open this door right now or so help me, I’ll buck it down.”
“No, can’t,” Sunny wheezed.
“Can,” I said sternly. “Velvet, one!” I turned my back to the door and planted my forelegs. “Two!”
“Fine!” Velvet shouted back before practically ripping the door open. “Come in, you stupid, thick-headed, stubborn, jerk of a stallion.”
Without another word, I turned and brushed past her into the living room. Crystal was huddled on a sitting pillow. She was cocooned in a blanket that had been pulled up to cover half of her head. With the wrinkles in it she almost looked like a caterpillar. A really sad caterpillar.
Winterspear and Iridescence were at her side, looking at me with concern. My sister trotted towards me, putting herself between me and my wife. “Silent, I think you need to go. This isn’t the time.”
I reached out a hoof to push her out of the way. She caught it and squeezed it tightly. It gave me pause. We met eyes. Hers were filled with sorrow. She just shook her head.
“Crystal… please,” I said softly as I stood to my full height to look over Winterspear.
Iridescence set a hoof on Crystal’s back and stroked. “Silent, you’ve done enough, perhaps you should go?”
“I can’t, not unless she tells me to,” I said firmly. Everypony else was meddling. This was my wife. My marriage. My love.
Crystal took a deep breath and stood from the pillow. It was a weary motion. When our eyes met, hers were red and puffy. The way they got when she’d been crying a lot. “Silent, please leave.”
The words cut me deeper than anything that happened to me during the war. My nose twitched as I tried to keep my composure. “I won’t go. I told Luna I’d not go after Lightning Hammer. I swear. Just… please… give me another chance.”
With a shake of her head, Crystal replied, “I can’t, Silent Knight. I can’t take you back. You’ve made that clear to me. When this happened, your first thought was to say yes and rush off towards danger.
“I thought I understood what it meant to be a guard’s wife, and maybe I did. You’re not a guard, though. You’re… a soldier? A knight? Some kind of chosen pony? It doesn’t matter. Your first inclination will always be to duty. So, go follow that inclination without me.”
“I…” The word was practically whimpered. She was leaving me.
Winterspear squeezed my hoof. “Sunny, why don’t you get Silent Knight out of here. Everypony needs to calm down.”
Sunny took my hoof from my sister’s and started tugging at it. “Come on, partner, let’s get out of here.”
My head hung. I let the golden mare drag me out by the hoof. What else could I do? Crystal said go. The worst part was, she was right. I’d always put her second. For my duty, that would have been one thing. I put her second for everything, though.
“I want a drink,” I muttered.
“No, no more drinking. Not on my watch. You’ve been drunk for three days and Princess Luna may give you some latitude on that, but I won’t. Now, if you want to go beat up a training dummy, we can do that. If you want to talk, we can do that, too. I’m even willing to have a make out session if you think it will help… but we’re not getting drunk.”
Make out session? She was making jokes right now? I looked up at her and glared. “What do I do now, Sunny? Huh? You’re cracking jokes and the best thing in my life is gone.”
Without missing a beat, Sunny poked me right in the chest, hard. It made me angry. “That wasn’t a joke. If you thought kissing me would help you, I’d do it. That’s because no matter what, I’m your partner. I get the Guard. I get you and no matter what, I’m here at your side from now on.
“What you do is suck it up and realize that maybe right now, everypony is just a little tense. Maybe she isn’t gone. Maybe this is just a fight. Maybe it is the end. That is a lot of ‘maybe’s, but I’ll tell you three facts.”
She tapped one forehoof to the other. “One, you don’t know the outcome of this yet and the Silent Knight I know isn’t some pathetic stallion that would give up so easily. Two, she may be the best thing in your life, but you have other great things in your life, so appreciate them.
“And three, as much as I love you, as much as I’m your friend, I’m also a royal guard. Right now, I have a killer on the loose near this city. He killed Midnight Snow. He killed multiple guards. He killed civilians. Now, you are the pony that knows him better than anypony else. I’m also loath to admit it, but you’re also the best warrior I’ve ever met.
“So, I want to ask you something, Major.” She poked me with the hoof again. “Are we going to stand around and deal with the problem we can’t fix right now that will obviously need some time, or are we going to do our duty and go after the bad guy? You tell me what we do now!”
Sunny was right. Why was she right? Turmoil was raging inside me. Grief, anger, and hopelessness. Yet, through all of that, my sense of duty was cutting through. The light in the storm.
There was hope, though. She was right about that. Crystal may forgive me. Arguing with her now wouldn’t help. We needed to cool off. I needed to just put one hoof in front of the other. But could I work like this? My head wouldn’t be in the game. May the alicorns help Lightning Hammer if I found him like this. It was his fault. All of it.
“We should get our pony… but I can’t be in command. I’m not fit.”
“Right. I’ll do it. You’ll be my adviser and muscle. We’ll get the bad pony and then we’ll work on your life. Deal?” Sunny asked as she offered me a hoof.
As dirty as it felt. As awful as it sounds. I felt a little relief and reached out to bump the hoof. Control what you can control, Silent. Find the target and… what? I knew what they’d want but he’d already been subdued once and now ponies were dead. Dragoons don’t take prisoners. “Deal.”
“Great. And the kiss?” she asked.
“No, thank you.”
“That’s kind of rude, but whatever. You don’t know what you’re missing. Come on, Major. We need to clean you up and get you into some armor. I’m sure the team is getting impatient.”
What did that mean? “Team?”
Sunny stopped and tilted her head. “Wow… you were seriously drunk. You gave the princess a list of names. Names you needed to get this done. Don’t you remember?”
I shook my head.
Sunny shrugged. “Alright, well, it doesn’t matter. Come on, let’s get you cleaned up and in armor. We’ll meet everypony after and get started.”
Right, we’d get started. Another mission. Another fight. Another time where Silent Knight is needed to do the only thing he is good at. Thank you, Stratus Knight. You got exactly what you wanted.
Meanie. Just when I'd forgiven you, too.
There shall be no peace between our houses until this story is over.
First comment! AGAIN!!
I love how no matter what turn of events happen to our damaged soldier he has a best friend and best princess to support him.
My reaction to this chapter
I swear, these beloved characters you've created are going to be the death of me.
OK, I'm gonna say that this is BS. Yes, Crystal was stressed at a few points already in the story, but I highly doubt that she is suddenly splitting from him after this. He literally marched into war and she didn't leave him. She saw all of the horrors he committed firsthoof and stayed with him. Now she hears he plans to stop a single pony from killing civilians and thinks THAT is the final straw? I am thinking either some mind fuckery is going on or this is some sort of nightmare sequence from the Night Mares.
I'm calling misdirection and unreliable narrative here. With the way the last chapter ended and this one started, I'm betting they used a memory spell and everyone is playing along to lead Silent's thoughts in one direction. How else can you trick an Alicorn who can read minds except by tricking yourself first?
I was so afraid this or the other thing would happen. My worst fears for silent come true... and too many old and still painful memories...i pray for them both. :(
His whole plan, his 'bait' to lure the insane alicorn out... is himself. Driven to the 'dark side' in a very jedi-ish way while chasing Lightning Hammer. Granted... it's all probably an act, a play with the key actor himself unaware that he's playing a role. Memory charms/magic, they laid out the plan during the gathering, and he volunteered to undergo memory alteration to fit the role better and be unaware that it's a trap.
This was mean. Why must you be mean, Anzel? They found the Virtues, they were having a housewarming party that was also part of the plan to defeat Maristella as per Nocturna's instructions....and then you drop this bomb.
I call bullshit. Just going to say that now. This isn't a tragedy.
Good luck writing your way out of this one, Anzel.
Also, I believe this is somewhat classified as a cliffhanger. GODDAMMIT ANZEL HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO US?
That's not good...They had BETTER GET BACK TOGETHER OR ELSE!
Shot through the heart and you know who is to blame...
...And through hell comes the happy ending the story deserves, I hope. I hope...
edit: Clever setup for the finale, I have to say. Silent left apparently isolated through a clever gambit, drawing her out, then showing he's not so alone when the final faceoff happens...
Oooh Silent Knight is a genius, even if he doesn't remember it right now. What better bait to lure out Maristella than himself or rather Dread Knight. Everything is set up for Silent to go off into despair and bring Dread back, something the Dark Alicorn might not be able to resist. My only question is, while there are strong hints Silent's had his memory tampered (probably at his request) was everyone else just acting?
Great chapter overall.
I confess that I feel utterly speechless over this turn of events. Regardless, I am confident that Crystal will return to her husband after realizing that they still need each other. I mean having her return the ring is such a cruel and overreactive act on her part.
Well, that was darker than anticipated. I hope the issue with Crystal gets resolved quickly, especially with how long Silent spent drinking
Hahaha, I had a feeling that we were going to skip past the party explanation.
Hmn. Something feels off. Like, everything about this. I'm suspicious about pretty much all of the events that have occurred. And I think that's all I'll speculate at the moment.
Shenanigans! Shenanigans!!! It's the power hungry alicorn watsherface!!!
8148863
They were not acting I'd say. Crystal is probably afraid he'll go off at the deep end and that he might not come back. Velvet is pissed that he has this plan. Everyone knows how badly this is tearing up Crystal and are afraid of what will happen to Silent. The emotions are real, just not directed at what Silent believes.
Its blatantly obvious that Silent voluntarily had his memories altered to create a trap for Maristella. The only way to lie to a mind reader is if you sincerely believe the lie yourself after all. Realistically Maristella wouldn't jump on the bait immediately and we'd need several chapters for Silent to "fall low enough," for her to be sufficiently confident. But it could be really hard to keep that interesting. Small time skip maybe?
I give it one chapter to correct this issue. thats about as far as I can take it without something getting corrected.
How do you suppress a memory, making it vague enough to seem true? You insert it through a dream. He woke up next to Luna, Princess of the Night and the Dreamscape. His memories are confused enough that they will be seen as part of an alcoholic binge. A perfect lure and a nice McGuffin for the reader, save for the fact he awoke from three days of "drinking" without a hangover. No one who binge drinks ever remembers to drink enough water to avoid a hangover.
For Chrystal's part, she would easily be able to play the role of the upset spouse, because she really is upset. Not to the point of kicking Silent Knight out of her life, but to the point he was putting himself at risk to be the bait in a complex, and hazardous plan.
And now, in the words of the world's most brilliant detective, Fetlock Holmes, "The game's ahoof."
I don't buy it! But Sunny is being a tease, so I'll like it.
This happened a bit too abruptly.
I call this the gambit, the bait, the setup.
Knowing Crystal, she wouldn't make that call. I think the others are right, some tactical memory wipes were used. It's like carrying out a multi-step plan to fight an enemy that reads minds, nobody knows the full plan, only what they are specifically supposed to do.
I had theories you know? Emphasis on had. They're in pieces now, thanks for that. Not to worry, I'll just... rebuild them... better this time. More accurate. After something like this well, thinking what I'm thinking, I really want to know where you're going with this.
But I have some cleaning up to do. That's a lot of pieces, actually... sigh
On a side note. 8149123 , lay thine eyes upon the coveted Author Notes, and hear the voices of thine fellow readers. All may be clear to you when you do.
Anzel... You really are a sneaky little shit... not certain how this will play out, but I still trust that there is a plan here
Damn... what a heavy chapter. Love the setup and everything but never thought I'd see what I saw in this chapter. Keep up the good work.
as everypwny has said bee4, this feels forced and unnatural...
Great plan to get the villain to lower his or her d-fences.. make him / her believe than the one threat to his / her threats is sebeerely weakened due the shattering of the wishing crystal that was used instead of super glue
Thanks you made me cry in school during the reading break
8149189 I read still don't enjoy this.
Well then.
Concurring with the others' guesses. This is a memory gambit to lure out Maristella. Crystal already assented to him going after a worse villain. Also I doubt Silent was drunk for three days. Complete lack of hangover aside (three days of drinking to complete memory loss would hit a teensy bit harder than "foggy"!), I don't remember him ever drinking to excess before, and I wouldn't expect him to even under the worst circumstances because he knows he's mentally vulnerable and would just be turned on everypony else.
Furthermore, I'm guessing the ring is itself part of the plan. What more symbolic and needlessly romantic memory crystal could one hope for?
Now the only question is, Is Lightning Hammer in on it, or did he really break out on a murder spree and they just used it?
A mental attack from Maristella, perhaps? Maybe his time being "off her radar" wore off and she's trying to take her enemy out of action.
Here's another theory that I believe is closer to the truth: Silent's memories have been messed with and everyone else is playing along/also had memory alteration, creating a contrived scenario to make Maristella believe that Silent is out of action and perhaps make her overconfident.
Really great chapter!
Hm, something ain't right here, we'll have to wait and see what it is...
... Allow me to convey my feelings on this chapter using pelican memes.
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...
Uh
Okay
Didn't expect to get hit this hard. Holy s#@$ ._.
8148987
It didn't occur to me until after reading through, but Silent doesn't remember his time in the afterlife either, but we saw even more of that than we strictly needed to. The primary purpose to keep this hidden from a storytelling perspective would be that it's going to be important later. If Silent did get dumped and then got drunk off his ass for 3 days, it would've made sense to have gone right up to him volunteering to catch the mass murderer, and then Crystal STARTS to respond before the chapter cuts off and he wakes up with Luna.
Instead, we cut off right before Silent explains his big plan, and suddenly his entire life has fallen apart. The main reason to do this would be to keep the actual plan secret from us.
And that's just the meta-text reasons. Crystal has already been through basically everything there is to go through in the wife of a soldier's life (including seeing the carnage from a first-person perspective and *watching him DIE*) and has stuck with him through it all. The others are behaving kinda-sorta as I would expect them to in this situation (I thought Velvet would yell and curse more and I half-expected her to threaten to shoot him) but Crystal? If years of war didn't break her, if Silent literally dying didn't break her, I can't imagine one escaped criminal would.
This is either an illsuon by the enemy or his plan in action for if they was real i would have personally gone up to Crystal and slap the hell out of her for for beighn a selfish Btch.
Something about this scenario feels... off.
Unless it's like that one episode of Heroes where Noah sends Claire away and then has his memory of it erased except for a note he left for himself that basically said, "Dear Noah, Don't look for Claire. Love, Noah."
And now, the Silent Knight in my head is voiced by Jack Coleman. Good going, Phy.
Haha whoops there goes my heart.
Just like I said it would.
because I don't trust you
Well... That was unexpected. However I am going to reserve my thoughts and take a back seat here, see what other people think of this outcome.
I look forward to finding out what's next.
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Thank you all for using the spoiler tags :D Much appreciated. I figured this chapter would get a big response! May the theories continue to fly.
8148734 What are you, Velvet? Jeeze. Can't a guy tell a story?
8148758 Friendship is magic, even in the face of tragedy!
8148758 I hope not! May all end happily ever after for everyone. Other than those ponies that died... and gryphons.
8148760 There are some fair theories here! We'll see how they come out.
8148774 Also some lovely theory crafting here too!
8148776 Painful indeed. A heavy chapter to say the least.
8148791 A well-reasoned theory.
8148800 Cruelty is just one of the many services I offer =D
8148805 Come now, this wasn't a traditional cliffhanger! It is just the end of a chapter ;)
8148838 A threat! Ponies will do as ponies will do!
8148848 A shot to the heart indeed. A pretty theory! I have a counter one: Silent and Sunny live happily ever after.
8148863 Thank you =) Lovely theories and an excellent question!
8148871 Only time will tell!
8148876 We'll just have to see!
8148987 Yeah, when I read your last comment my honest thought was "Thomper has my number." ;D
8149008 It may be! It may be! At least we'll all be saved by a tiny spider wearing a Swanky Hat. Well... at least I will. Still makes me grin every time.
8149010 Oooh, some interesting thoughts here for sure!
8149027 Well reasoned!
8149123 I'm afraid a single chapter is not enough for any such thing.
8149130 Ahoof... hahaha, love it ;D
8149156 Sunny to the rescue!
8149171 Perhaps... perhaps...
8149179 That is a logical tactic against something that can know an individual's thoughts.
8149189 It's okay! You did great!
8149211 I take that as a robust compliment =D
8149227 A little surprise keeps us all interested :D
8149280 It does seem like a valid tactic.
8149293 Much apologies!
8149348 Indeed.
8149363 Some excellent questions presented!
8149378 Thank you ^_^ Those are certainly two viable theories here!
8149389 Agreed. It was 100% the fact Silent didn't kiss Sunny. That isn't right. How can you refuse Sunny?
8149442 Ah birds. So expressive! So honest.
8149540 Some good points made here!
8149603 Poor Crystal! She has a Velvet protector though.
8149703 Dear Silent Knight. If you ever break up with Crystal and get drunk, kiss Sunny. Love SK. PS. Kiss Azurite too, it might be fun to see her reaction.
8149741 I'm untrustworthy =(
8149803 No one expects the Spanish... divorce?
8149834 Do you want to know how I got this smile? I drew it on.
8149930 In fact, I know of one Pony who can snap Crystal back to her senses: Painted Waves! Especially since PW has endured living as a soldier's spouse and she's very close to Crystal too!
8149930
It was too perfect a setup for keeping the explanation off-screen for now.
This chapter just feels... off to me. Now it might be because I'm only reading it once a week and don't always recall what's going on, but this chapter feels more like a nightmare than real life.
Also, Crystal seems very out of character here. I've been keeping up with her story and I feel like she and the relationship she has with Silent are stronger than this chapter gives her credit for.
"This is what I need you to do..."
Hmmm.....
Grins devilishly.
8150099 I CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE ANY MORE!!!
am I the only one who feels that this isn't really happening like it's our main villain maristella controlling silent knights mindset or part of nocturnas overly elaborate plan? I do want to make it clear I love this story though so good job anzel B-)
8149930 I'm guessing that first reply is actually intended for Drexlroosh13?
I'm fine. I just still had the latest chapter of Crystal Hopes in mind (A Price to Pay) which was already heart wrenching enough. This chapter just stacked feelz on feelz and I felt seriously terrible for Silent.
But now that I've had time to calm down and think, I'd have to agree with the others that this must be part of Silent's plan. He did state clearly that it would be "one of the worst things imaginable" and honestly I can't think of anything worse for Silent than this chapter.
8148791
You basically said what I was thinking
Sunny is being uncharacteristically "sexy" (I use that word loosely) towards Silent, asking for a kiss... right in front of Crystal... in these circumstances.
I get the feeling that "Sunny" is really one of those NightMares who has the hots for him.
I am an actor (small-time, theater, but more than one pro says I'm very good), and one thing any actor knows is if you fumble your line, you keep going like it was in the script the whole time; but if I'm right, then "Sunny" made a number of mistakes in what she said.
But I assume nothing; all we can do is wait for Anzel to grace us with the next chapter (or 50, I'm not picky).